From Rome to Panem: epic, satire and the city

The Faculty of Classics, together with Oriel College and Regent’s Park College, are proud to offer UK Year 11 and Year 12 students an introduction to studying Classics and English at university. The day will include a taster seminar, lunch in the main dining hall, two college tours with current students, and in-depth information on the Oxford admissions process. The day is entirely free of charge.

Cities rise and fall; they are the highest expression of a civilisation’s cultural achievements and they plumb the depths of corruption and degradation. Aeneas flees from the burning city of Troy to fulfil his destiny to found Rome but that can only be achieved through the deaths of young men and women and the destruction of individual hopes. Satan builds the city of Pandaemonium to destroy humanity but gazes with hate-filled longing on the salvation represented by the heavenly city. Disaffected satirists despise and exploit the hunger of citizens for bread and circuses from ancient Rome to the Capitol of Panem. They hate the corruption they see but know that they are part of it. Beauty and power, corruption and filth are equally exciting.  This taster day will give you the opportunity to explore literature ancient and modern, familiar and unfamiliar and decide whether winning the glittering prize of the city is ever worth the sacrifices required.

Please complete the booking form below by 12pm, 13 May 2016. We are expecting this to be a popular event, so bookings will be accepted on a first come-first served basis. If you have any questions about the day, please contact Mai Musie at mai.musie@classics.ox.ac.uk.

PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME

Oriel College (OX1 4EW):

10.00 — Arrival at Oriel College

10.30 – 11.15 Classics and English Admissions talk, with Dr Kathryn Murphy and Ms Mai Musié

11.30 – 12.00 Tour of Oriel with current undergraduates

Regent’s Park College (OX1 2LB):

12.15 – 13.15 Lunch (provided free of charge)

13.30 – 14.30 Academic seminars: ‘From Rome to Panem: satire, epic and the city’ led by Dr Peta Fowler, Dr Lynne Robson, Dr Llewelyn Morgan

14.30 – 15.00 Tea break

15.00 – 15.30 The Archive of Performance of Greek and Roman Drama at Oxford, Professor Fiona Macintosh

15.30 — 16.00 Feedback/evaluation and departure

For booking details: http://www.oriel.ox.ac.uk/content/classics-and-english-day